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Nissan and its strategic partner, PowerStream, made history when they showcased on June 1 an interactive exhibit demonstrating the integration of electric cars like the Nissan LEAF into the home with the latest Smart Grid technologies.

The display, which marked the first real-life demonstration of V2H technology in Canada, took place at the Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario.

“V2H” stands for the “Vehicle to Home” system, which enables energy that is stored in an electric vehicle’s batteries to be used in residential homes.

With a 24kW lithium-ion battery, the Nissan LEAF is able to provide the typical Canadian household with enough electricity for a full day, when the battery is fully charged.

This V2H concept is swiftly gathering attention as a new form of infrastructure, and as a contributing factor to energy saving and alternate energy use. For example, cutting off one’s own household from the power system network when demands are highest would be a significant contribution towards the stable supply of power.

The Nissan/PowerStream V2H display demonstrated some of the most far-reaching technical capabilities yet of the future Smart Grid and home, including:

• The EV communicating directly with the utility or with the home energy manager to help manage electricity consumption;

• The EV acting as a back-up power source in the event of a power outage;

• Time-of-Use demand response scenarios where devices in the home like the refrigerator, washer/dryer and EV charger react to changes in the prices of electricity based upon the time of day.

This demonstration came 10 months after PowerStream, the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, became the first organization in Canada to take delivery of a Nissan LEAF.